1903 W600 Sporting Life Cabinet Chief Bender - Rookie

Sold For: $3,900

Auction Year:2017 spring

Lot: 111

Item Year:1903

Category:Prewar Baseball Cards (1900-1941)

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Outstanding W600 Sporting Life series cabinet-card featuring Hall of Fame pitcher Chief Bender of the Philadelphia Athletics. This is a very attractive example of Chief Bender’s true rookie card. Two variations of Bender were issued in W600: in street clothes and in uniform. The offered example is the “in suit” variation. Graded FAIR 20 by SGC (submitted by REA), this is an extremely bright and crisp card, both front and back, with a flawless portrait image, no creases, and only light wear at the corners. Technically in Fair condition due to Bender’s name written in ink and a one-and-a-half-inch strip of paper loss near the bottom edge (most likely from being mounted in an album), both on the back. While modest in technical grade, this is still an extremely attractive W600 Hall of Famer rookie card. W600 Sporting Life cabinet cards were available only by mail and they are universally recognized as among the most substantial and highest-quality baseball-card sets ever issued. This is a beautiful mid-grade example of one of one of the most desirable of all W600 Hall of Famers, and one of Chief Bender’s rarest and most impressive cards. Reserve $500. Estimate $1,000+.